responsible for the day-to-day running of the Trinity Mirror Southern paid-for weekly.

He said: "I want to give the paper a bit more of a mix. It's a newsy patch and has a distinct identity — people here are fiercely proud of Middlesex. But I want to strike a balance between feature content and news background which the paper seemed to lack before. I also want to introduce a bit more humour to the paper and bring in colour where stories lend themselves to it."

Tilley has scrapped a business page, which he said was essentially being filled with press releases, and has replaced it with a features page.

He added: "It's about getting content to earn its place in the paper."

He replaces Liz Bellchambers, now working in PR at Uxbridge College, and will report to Adrian Seal, who is senior editor-in-chief for West London and Bucks. While at Newsquest South Tilley worked his way up from senior reporter, chief reporter and news editor at the Wimbledon Guardian and Wandsworth Borough News. He was also NUJ father of chapel when working for the South London Guardian, leading negotiations with management and a three-day strike over pay.

The Gazette, which has a circulation of 18,331, is a four-edition title covering the London Borough of Hillingdon.

Tilley will also be responsible for the Gazette's free sister title the Leader.